The 19th Amendment Celebrates Its 90th Anniversary

by bog bit

The 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote, was ratified on August 18th, 1920. August 26th is the 19th Amendment’s 90th anniversary. It is hard to believe that this historic event happened so long ago. Number 19 has done a great service to women in the United States of America and has helped support an environment of equality.

The 19th Amendment has helped give women a voice in this country. It is not fair to have representation that we did not get to choose, and now females have been given that right.

As a young woman in today’s society, I take my right to vote seriously. The moment I turned 18 (the official voting age) I ran out to vote for the Presidential Primaries. I arrived at my local polling area only to find that my voting registration had not gone through. Something had happened and I needed to register again.

My heart broke a little that day, but I could feel at that moment how important voting and voicing one’s opinion is. I made sure to re-register so I could vote in the official Presidential election.

The election eventually came around in 2008, and I proudly checked off my vote for Obama. My boyfriend at the time was not registered in the town that I was voting in. I told him it was okay to leave and vote at his proper polling place. I wanted him to have a say in who was our next President.

Presidential elections are not the only important part of voting to me, though. I try very hard to make it to my town and state elections each year they occur. Frustratingly, since I have changed my residence for college several times I have run into some more obstacles. But the slight inconvenience has not stopped me from placing my vote.

There are still some people in this country who take voting for granted whether they are a man or a woman, though. Sometimes voting is inconvenient, you feel lazy that day, or you might just think that your voice does not matter that much. It all depends on the perspective you decide to take.

If we did not have the 19th Amendment I am guessing it would be a different story. People would be protesting again. I feel as if humanity sometimes does not appreciate the gifts they are given until they are taken away. We are so used to having rights that we fail to exercise them.

My family always makes an effort to vote, mostly at the Presidential, Senate, and Government elections. During the course of my life the people around me, whether it was a teacher or my parents, made it clear that voting is a gift we should use.

I am still excited to this day that I am able to vote, and remembering the installation of the 19th Amendment makes voting that much more meaningful. I never knew a time when I was not allowed to vote, but I imagine I would not be amused.